Blogs

Are you ready for the virtual reality revolution?

Why your brand might want to adopt VR sooner rather than later

Web Development Cardiff – Virtual Reality

Not long ago did virtual reality seem like something out of a sci-fi film, but this technology is about to let rip into the mainstream and your brand needs to be in the loop! This technology is giving brands a platform in which they can totally immerse their audiences and create impactful, meaningful and novel brand experiences.

This is next level engagement as users wear a headset resulting in them being totally immersed in the content. This way there are much fewer distractions and more of a focus on brand messaging (in the least brainwashing sounding kinda way!)

The VR experience is much more intense than most forms of marketing, enabling brands to create more intimate and personal experiences with their consumers. The feeling of a personalised experience like this can generate true emotion and that is what all marketers seek as after all this is the driver for real behaviour change and subsequent purchases.

VR can create destinations you’ve never dreamed of being able to go which could make you feel things you’ve never felt! With our brains being built to remember events linked to locations, brands are being given the chance to create truly memorable experiences that will leave consumers with a lasting sensation and memory of what they witnessed in the virtual reality world. That experience will then always be associated with that particular brand.

There is so much opportunity to be had for those brands brave enough to venture into this new world of technology. With innovators in the industry already utilising VR to its full potential and gaining mass exposure for their efforts, this is definitely a marketing option for your consideration.

If you have a brand story you really want to tell then this could be just the way to do it. Despite headsets sporting a high price tag and yet to hit the main-stream, companies such as Unilever are seeking to get a head start on rivals. Brands including Thomas Cook and Virgin Atlantic have been experimenting with VR content in the UK to great success
Check out the incredible efforts to create memorable in-store experiences by Thomas Cook.

They produced a range of immersive 360 VR films so that potential holidaymakers visiting flagship stores in the UK, Germany and Belgium could be invited to experience a series of virtual holidays on the Samsung Gear VR, a partner on their campaign.

After agreeing the creative brief and key locations for the roll out, a small team travelled to Egypt, Cyprus, Greece, New York and Singapore over the course of a few months to capture the required content which included using a custom underwater rig to film the snorkelling excursion in Sharm-el-Sheikh.

The bespoke content features a variety of destinations offered by Thomas Cook, allowing customers to enjoy a range of ‘taster’ experiences, such as a helicopter tour of Manhattan, a trip to the pool at a SENTIDO resort in Rhodes, visiting the Egyptian pyramids, or taking a walk along the OCBC Skyway in Singapore, without leaving the store.

Their head of digital content said ‘Thomas Cook was the first travel company to deliver in-store virtual reality to customers, we’ve been nominated for numerous innovation awards, and we’ve seen a good conversion rate for bookings made after viewing the VR content.”

So VR is clearly a fantastic new marketing tool but will you be bold enough?